A Man Has Gotten Zika Virus from Having Sex with an Infected Woman

You’ve already been warned about the complex dangers of the Zika virus (especially if you’re pregnant or TTC). And on Friday, a new wrinkle emerged: The first reported case of Zika in which a woman infected her male partner was documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Until now, all known cases of the virus spreading through sexual contact involved male-to-female or male-to-male transmission. According to the CDC and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the woman, who is in her twenties, may have contracted the virus while traveling and then spread it to a male, also in his twenties, when they had unprotected vaginal sex.

The woman discovered she was carrying the virus the day after they had sex, when she sought medical attention for her symptoms, which included a fever, rash, and achiness. One week later, the guy she’d hooked up with developed similar symptoms. After he was also diagnosed with Zika, authorities ruled out his having contracted it another way (such as through travel, mosquito bites, or other sexual partners).

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This event is the latest Zika news to baffle pros, who aren’t sure exactly how the virus spreads through intercourse or whether the fact that the woman was menstruating at the time has any significance.

While they continue to search for answers, the best way to protect yourself continues to be abstaining from having sex without a condom, since 80 percent of those infected don’t show any outward symptoms.

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